Yearbook Signings
by ClockRepair
Summary: The shy Hyuuga heiress found herself in a troubling dilemma: attempting to write something to her dream man AND his best friend. But the weird part was, she was having greater difficulty writing to Sasuke then Naruto.


The end of the school year was nearing which brought two stressful activities:

1.) Studying for upcoming exams that were worth thirty percent of the final grade

And

2.) Scrounging around for last-minute signatures in yearbooks in a sad attempt to seem more popular and have more friends

It was clear which activity required more attention if one wished to stay on top of the social ladder. And it was safe to say that it was one of the reasons why Hinata Hyuuga was feeling so discouraged. Besides the nice messages from her friends (Sakura, Ino and Tenten) everyone else had written the repetitive phrase, "You rock, don't ever change!" or the lame, not to mention thoughtless, "Have a good summer, I'll see you in the fall!" She wasn't asking for anything complicated like a Shakespearean sonnet or a short story but considering she had gone to school with the same kids since kindergarten, she was expecting more creativity. She had also noticed that there were some spelling errors in her name while others didn't address her at all which indicated that they didn't know what it was to begin with.

In summation, yearbook signings really sucked.

But it got worse.

Earlier that day Hinata did something that was extremely out of character. She gathered up all of her courage and confronted Naruto, red faced and all, in front of his large circle of friends and managed to ask him (after forty years of stuttering) if he would like to sign her yearbook. Being the friendly guy he was he happily agreed but mentioned how he had others to sign as well (the stacks of yearbooks behind him was proof). So he asked her if it was alright if he took her yearbook home and return it to her the following day. Hinata nodded in response, since she wasn't accustomed to conversing with her long-time crush for so long, but then Naruto did something completely unexpected. Before she could leave and possibly die from utter joy, he handed Hinata his yearbook to take home!

…but then he quickly shoved Sasuke's yearbook in her face too.

By her bewildered expression, Naruto decided to explain himself.

"You see, Hinata, the things written in Sasuke's yearbook are mostly from _us_," He emphasized the word to get some acknowledgement from his friends which they responded with hoots and hollers. "And his crazy mob of female admirers so there are a fair amount of blank spots. Since he's not here today and didn't notice that I stole it, go ahead and take it and write something nice. I think he'll appreciate it."

Naruto's last remark received another response from his friends but they weren't as spirited as before. They were snickering, some even laughing. Hinata shot them a suspicious look and than one at Naruto but by the innocent and eager expression he had on his face, she decided to overlook his friends' strange reactions.

And this was how the shy Hyuuga heiress found herself in her current dilemma: attempting to write something to her dream man _and_ his best friend. Hinata was at a loss so she decided to heed the wise words of her cousin. Neji once told her that if she tackled the most difficult obstacle first her other tasks would be easier to accomplish afterwards. At the time, he was advising her on her martial arts training but Hinata thought that it could be applied in this kind of situation too. So she decided to start with Naruto's yearbook and once his was done she would move on and proceed onto Sasuke's.

Her plan was going efficiently until, by some divine intervention, it backfired on her halfway through. At first, she was planning to admit her crush on Naruto but regretted the idea after realizing that if he didn't reciprocate her feelings, it would be permanently engraved into his yearbook. So she settled for mentioning the fun times she had when they were assigned as partners in science class. The message to Naruto had been surprisingly easy to write, a tad dorky, but she wrote it without any complications. On the other hand, thinking of something to say to Sasuke Uchiha was a whole other issue on its own.

Honestly, what do you possibly say to the most popular/athletic/intimidating/smartest guy in school and who else knew what other weird titles he had under his belt? All she knew about the Uchiha was that he's totally antisocial; the only reason why he was acquainted with so many people is because he was best friends with Naruto. That and the fact that girls worshipped the very ground he walked on.

Either way, she was experiencing a bad case of writer's block. Spending the past hour staring at a blank page was evidence. If her father knew what she was _really_ doing in her room instead of studying, Hiashi would have a total fit. Hinata couldn't help but sigh. It seemed like the only lucky break she seemed to have was a gullible parent.

Thinking about her family, she remembered that Neji wasn't too fond of Sasuke and absolutely refused to explain the reason behind his distaste for the boy. He just mumbled about "the hair incident" but Hinata never quite understood what that meant.

After five minutes (slowly) passed, Hinata was ready to call it quits. She couldn't get any ideas. After all, she hardly associated with the boy or had any classes with him! How did those girls ever think of something to say? As Hinata thought about this more and more, she decided to take a small peep at the other messages people had written. For creative reasons, obviously. And it would only be an invasion of privacy if someone found out, right? Right.

So if she _just happened_ to have the yearbook on her lap and she _just happened_ to flip over the pages (accidentally "Whoops!") and _just happened_ to read a small excerpt, then no one would mind.

Hmm, someone had put together a poem.

_Ode to my beloved Sasuke,_

_I first met you when you bought that Latte._

_I would watch you from a distance,_

_Until you spotted me and found me to be of a hindrance._

_Now you don't go to the coffee shop anymore,_

_So goodbye to the person I most adore._

_A freestyle verse by Yukari S._

Now most people would judge or mock this Yukari person but Hinata was above them. She admired the girl for possessing so much confidence that she would risk public humiliation.

Next!

_Ur hawt! Luv ya, bitch!_

_XOXOXOX_

_Midori_

_(456-9878)_

Even Hinata, the most polite individual a person could ever find at a time of need, could not defend this girl. For one thing, her grammar put basic education to shame and wasn't she aware that advertising her phone number in random places gave off the wrong impression? Hinata also noticed the lipstick mark where Midori had kissed the page. Couldn't you contract some disease by doing that?

_Hey Sasuke, I'm really sorry about Akamaru biting your leg the last time you came over. I usually take him out on walks to the lake. You know the one with all of the ducks? Well, he likes to chase them so I guess with your hairstyle…I'm not even going to go there. Anyways, we've known each other since middle school and we've never had a single fight yet. And will you share some of the love already? For God's sake, you have every girl wrapped around you finger! Well maybe except for one! But knowing you, you'll win her over with your non-existent charm and sense of humor. Kidding! But in case she does reject you, please don't act more angst-ridden then you already are (I'm serious)._

_Kiba & Akamaru_

Hinata giggled at the sight of the crudely drawn happy face with its tongue sticking out at the end of Kiba's final sentence. Seemed like Sasuke had a crush on someone. It was weird. Hinata couldn't imagine the type of girl Sasuke would be attracted to.

Silent and tough like Temari? No, she was already going out with Shikamaru, much to Ino's dismay, and he was one of Sasuke's friends.

Intelligent and talented like Tenten? No, Hinata had the firm belief that Tenten and Neji had some kind of spark between them as crazy as it sounded. According to Hanabi, they had a "lil' somethin' somethin' going on". By the way her younger sibling's dark eyebrows kept rising when she said "somethin' somethin'" it was probably an act that Hinata's virgin mind couldn't comprehend.

Pretty and sociable like Sakura? Hinata could imagine their couple name right now: Saskura Uchino. You know, like how Angelina Jolie's and Brad Pitt's names got smooshed together to become Brangelina? Or how Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez became Bennifer? And when they broke up, Ben married Jennifer Garner so they became Bennifer version 2.0? But enough about pop culture.

_Dear Teme,_

_Since you avoid this time of the year like the plague, I've taken the liberty to get people to sign this for you! So in about thirty years when you're middle aged and probably going bald you'll remember your former youth (Oh crap, I just sounded like Rock Lee, didn't I?). Since we've became friends we've shared everything. Classes, food, memories (as cheesy as that sounds) and even our first kiss! I know that we promised never to bring the topic up again but I think it was a kiss between brothers. Does that make sense? Well, what can I say? We're like brothers in the sense that we argue like girls and beat each other up constantly. It's not the most functional friendship ever but it works out. And I bet my lunch money at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar that you've stopped reading this or started rolling your eyes. Because I know you so well I'll just go ahead and say this, "Get that stick out of your ass and get a girlfriend or do I have to play matchmaker and make her come to you?" Again, I know you too well so the answer to my own question would be a solid YES._

_Naruto Uzimaki_

Hinata didn't want to comment on Naruto's writing skills or lack there of. Naruto had a strange and unusual way with words. Let's just leave it at that.

But as Hinata skimmed the rest of Sasuke's yearbook she found the girls' messages were pathetic or creepy or pathetic _and_ creepy while the guys were oddly vague. She realized guys _really_ didn't like to discuss their feelings and preferred to act as stoic as humanly possible. How helpful. She read _everything_ and now the long exposure to the combined stupidity of Sasuke's friends and groupies would probably cause her brain to implode. She didn't know anymore about Sasuke then when she did at the beginning!

With a reluctant sigh, Hinata figured that her scarce knowledge about Sasuke was probably what he would like. He resented the attention he got from his fangirls so why should she pry into his personal business and try to understand him better? For the first time in an hour and a half, Hinata picked up her pen and flipped to a blank page to write.

* * *

For once, Sasuke Uchiha was feeling fairly content. Every time some lunatic admirer approached him he could truthfully say, "I'm sorry but I've misplaced my yearbook." And then the girl would run away and wouldn't pester him again…until the next day. It wasn't much but whenever Sasuke had time for himself _alone_ he counted it as a blessing.

"Oi, Sasuke!"

Unfortunately, for him, his blessings just ran out.

"Where were you yesterday?" Naruto asked, jogging up to his buddy. "You missed a lot!"

"I was sick," Sasuke mumbled, patting his abdomen. "I had a twenty-four hour flu."

"You suck at lying but that's not the point. Yesterday, _Hinata_ asked if I could sign her yearbook but I told her I had others to sign. So I took it home and look at what I have here!" Naruto positively beamed when he pulled it out of his backpack and showed the book to Sasuke. "I already wrote in it but you haven't. So what are you waiting for? Take it! Take it!"

"_Naruto_," Sasuke hissed. "I _don't_ sign yearbooks. Why do you think I'm going to start now?"

Naruto lowered his voice and whispered in his friend's ear. "_Because_ the yearbook belongs to your first true love!"

"She is _not_ my first love!"

"So she's your first _true_ love!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

What a shocker, their small altercation lead to a fight. Although by a third person's point of view it appeared to be a badly choreographed wrestling match. The pair would've gone on hitting each other for hours if Hinata didn't arrive. Clearing her throat, the two boys stopped and pulled apart.

"Hinata, did you finish with our yearbooks?" Naruto asked in his loud and booming voice.

_Our yearbooks? _Thought Sasuke, straightening out his clothes and hair. _What else did the dobe do while I was absent?_

On closer inspection, Sasuke saw that the two items clutched to Hinata's chest were indeed yearbooks. At Naruto's words she blushed slightly and gingerly returned them to their rightful owners. Naruto opened his immediately and started reading. Sasuke just held onto it and stared at Hinata making her nervous under his intense gaze.

"Awwww thanks, Hinata! Being science partners _was_ fun even if I did occasionally blow stuff up!"

"Y-Y-Your welcome," she whispered, poking her index fingers together. "A-Ano…did y-you finish w-w-with m-my yearbook y-yet?"

"Sorry, I'm almost done. I'll get it back to you by lunch if you can wait a little longer."

"Y-Yes that's f-fine! Bye N-Naruto, Sasuke."

Naruto waved after her before turning back to his friend. "So will you write something back to her or not?"

Sasuke ignored the question and opened up his own yearbook and flipped through the pages of nonsense and scribbles by his fans until he found the Hyuuga's neat handwriting.

_Sasuke,_

_I've never had a class with you so I hope we have on together next year. Everyone writes that but I actually mean it because I hear a lot of great things about you but I never hear anything from you. If we have the same class next year maybe I'll get the opportunity. _

_Hinata Hyuuga_

_P.S_

_Whoever that girl is, I'm sure she feels the same way._

"Sasuke? Sasuke! _SASUKE_! Are you listening? Are you going to write something or not?"

"Yeah," He said, closing the covers. "I'll write something."

And a miracle occurred. Sasuke actually formed his lips in a manner which resembled a faint smile.

* * *

**ClockRepair Message:** I'm really bad at writing lovey-dovey type stories so this is the closest I can get. And if you're an avid fan of Lizzie McGuire you will notice that I kind of stole a phrase from their final episode where I got the inspiration for this one-shot. I also made a small reference to one of my other Naruto stories; "Why Me?" if any of you were confused about the hair incident that Neji was talking about. Although this story does not follow "Why Me?" in any way, I thought the small reference was kind of funny. If you didn't….whatever…

And for some reason, I have an odd feeling that I subconsciously written something I read in another fanfiction (I think it's the Sasuke, latte thing). If anyone spots it, please tell me so I can remove it. I don't like to plagiarize.


End file.
